What got me thinking and wondering about this whole cheat/fast deal was as mentioned I have read a couple of things on it recently (Roman was one of them) and here in a couple of weeks I will be heading out of town for 4 days camping and riding ATV’s. How 'intensely' you choose to do this is an individual preference. Following a ‘‘cheat then fast’’ pattern is a recipe for disaster over the long run. Ate too much in one sitting? I agree with you CT that you really can’t get fat in one day. Regarding whether this can encourage an eating disorder, I don’t disagree. One of the common ways to incorporate a cheat into your plan is to have a cheat day. I don’t really have an obscene cheat day but I do have a carb day and I’m considering doing the fast on the day after. Here are three strategies you can use to get your mind and body back on track any time you slip up. Consider, though, that I work with a number of clients who would probably be less worried about losing mass than many of Thibs, as the total number of bodybuilders I train is woefully disproportionate to the number of fat loss clients I have. My fasting didn’t end until 2pm the next day, I ate a turkey sandwich with wheat bread and Greek yogurt. ), introducing a cheat day is not only a way to bring sanity into your meal plans – it is almost a requirement of sorts from a metabolic perspective to ensure that the progress with fat loss does not slow down. So, if you generally wake up at 7 a.m. and go to sleep at 11 p.m. at night, you’ll have around four to six meals per day. I recently purchased the XFLD after purchasing both the Cheat Your Way to Thin and Final Phase Fat Loss programs. In both cases, the situation needs to be addressed and delt with. Stayed out too late on an all-night bender? The cheats are planned, and the fast is planned. The theory is that since cheat days increase the production of leptin, they boost your metabolism. You'll also have glycogen stores in your liver to use. While fasting has some health benefits when done right, when it is used like the way you are suggesting it reinforces an underlying eating disorder. This is why bouncing back after a cheat day is so difficult: Your body and your mind both take a hit. I have found, in the years since doing this, that I get lean a little bit faster; mainly because fasting is obviously creating an extraordinary level of caloric deficit; and despite that I have never lost mass while doing that. … All rights reserved. and eating clean Thursday and Friday. “For body composition, a missed meal is as bad as a cheat meal. You can't do anything about the cheat foods you already ate, but you can take steps to help your body and mind reset. So then on Sunday you fast with just liquids, mainly just water but maybe a little green tea and black coffee and no excercise that day. Can’t build a brick house if you’re not getting enough bricks, right? Intermittent fasting for weight loss is trending in a major way these days. You went off the rails with your meal plan and ate everything in sight, but it's only one day. Since I am looking to add on some mass I don’t really think a fast will be beneficial for me. Hit the all-you-can-eat bar a little too hard at brunch? Throw together a few healthy meals to take to work, pack an extra bottle of water, and whip up a tasty protein shake to celebrate. Wait an hour or two after you wake up and then eat a light breakfast. It might be a couple of extra beers during the big game, that extra-large slice of cake at your family celebration, or an entire package of Oreos while hanging out in your PJs binge watching "The Crown." For those who follow a carb-restricted diet (low-carb, cyclical ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, etc. Why? Heather’s mission is to use her passion for fitness and her knowledge of training and nutrition to educate and motivate others to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle. This article explores what fat fasting is and… READ MORE I have lost about 20 pounds so far. ON topic, I think CT and gyakujujijime have a good point. Cheat Days. Posed this only to see CTs opinion on intermittent fasting ). Thats my personal best. If your cheat day is 3,000 kcal or more, a lot of it will still be inside you and still digesting. I find that upper body (especially in pressing movements) strength goes up after a huge cheat while lower body performance decreases. From what I have read the idea behind the fast after the cheat is to force your body to more efficiently utilize the caloric overload from the previous days cheat and allow all the garbage to be moved out of your system a bit quicker by not adding food on top of it. In both cases, the situation needs to be addressed and delt with. When you have a cheat day (or let's be honest, a cheat weekend), it can be tough to bounce back mentally. I definitely don’t think it is something you would want to do all the time, but maybe could be good every once in awhile. Over the past 6 weeks I think I have had maybe 3 cheat meals/binges but never a full day. You know the key to a phenomenal physique isn't one single workout—it's many workouts, done consistently, over a period of time. If you’re someone who struggles emotionally with food, then this approach would not really be something you’d want to look into, as it might exacerbate whatever you’re dealing with. Get Back On Track. Important distinction, and wise to avoid. Water is also hydrating, which helps boost your energy and clear your mind so you can feel better and refocus right away. In theory, a 48-hour fast is simple — you merely give yourself a full, two-day break from eating. For me, this is a case where I may be able to get away with certain things other many not, due in part to an admitted level of genetic freakitude. i now Roman does it when hes had a big cheat day…, but i was thinking something like what about doing a day with only shakes after a cheat day. There’s also no reason to beat yourself up after a diet slip up or “cheat meal” - if you focus on the negative or entertain feelings of “failure”, you’re setting yourself up for a binge, or at least an unhealthy mindset. But regardless of the specifics, we've all been there. However, I thought I might allow myself a little break on Saturday and do some “cheating”. Maybe if you have another cheat day and go overboard, you can spend the next day eating nothing but low-fat protein sources? Naturally, you want to treat yourself after eating great and workout out all week. Fasting the day after cheat day, in my opinion, prevents the body from fully excreting the excess food and water retention post-cheating, which delays the process into the next week. Somewhat off topic, but CT, I know you and X have spoken about HUGE cheat meals in the past. So why aren't you applying the same logic to your food? Ofc no one wants to go into that kind of pattern. It doesn't take much to get back on track—but you have to take that first healthy step to get there. That said, if you’re seeing good progress with what you’re doing and you feel like trying it, give it a shot. Greater Fat Burning: Research has shown that fasting for relatively long periods may result in greater fat burning and accelerated fat loss, even when total daily calorie intake remains the same. In fact, most nutrition experts - like Alan Aragon and John Berardi - have advocated what's known as the 90%-10% rule. I plan on taking as much good, clean easily transportable food as I can (cooked chicken breasts, boiled eggs, carrots, fruit, nuts, etc.) As hard as it may seem at first, the best and easiest way to recover from a cheat day is to get back on track as quickly as possible. Instead of fasting, I’d probably just go zero carbs the day after. Moving my fast/OMAD to … One ongoing myth is that breakfast is the most important meal of … Everyone needs a break from the gym once in a while. This seems like a no-brainer, but it's surprisingly tricky to pull off when you're coming out of a no-holds-barred celebratory weekend or a 14-hour Netflix binge. I have now decided against trying this. [quote]John Romaniello wrote: Take an afternoon nap. [quote]gyakujujijime wrote: Be the first to receive exciting news, features, and special offers from Bodybuilding.com! !” or “cheating is for pussies!” is pointless imo. Bodybuilding.com℠ and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com. The idea here is that you eat healthy the whole day except for one meal when you eat things that are not part of your prescribed diet (usually things like junk food). Following a ‘‘cheat then fast’’ pattern is a recipe for disaster over the long run.[/quote]. Finally, I need to just stress that this is done with plan in mind, not, as has been suggested, to “make up” for an accidental cheat day. This one has to be understood properly. The same goes for your meal plan. After far surpassing your normal calorie intake, you may find that the last thing you want to do the next morning is eat. But that fasting willpower, he says, gets used up pretty, well, fast. (This post is not meant to be challenging or offensive(as it often looks like it on the internet). On the other hand, it’s an approach that’s worked well with my clients. Here are three easy steps to get you back on track to achieving your goals. This is basically a day where you can eat whatever you want, not following a schedule. If one is following the I,Bodybuilder program and looking to put on lean muscle mass and using a carb/calorie cycling approach do you think this would be beneficial at all or do you think it would hinder progress? Having said that I’ve always gotten good results of cheating protocols, whereas I know many people simply have not. One common method is to stop after dinner on the first day and begin eating again at … An unexpected cheat day in the middle of a strict cut phase or new workout routine can ruin more than your waistline—it can short-circuit your motivation, too. One of the most common methods of intermittent fasting, known as the Leangains method, is where you fast for 16 hours each day (inclusive … No fruit, and only green veggies for carbs. Cheat meals: Another option is to use cheat meals. Cheat meals will neither prevent you from getting ripped nor losing fat! Even on intermittent fasting cheat days, you should pay attention to what your body is telling you. I’ll chime and and restate what I mentioned in my blog: I happen to enjoy my cheat days and I eat pretty much all the foods I normally deprive myself of. Other approaches some fitness/fasting junkies swear by: Fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week. However, if you fill your cheat day by eating the kinds of food that contribute to insulin resistance and obesity you may struggle to lose weight. Going into discussion about “I dont cheat”, “You should never cheat!! I only drank wAter and had a sip of apple juice. If you’re trying to lose weight and don’t care if that includes muscle weight, then fast away. I will be spending have the time Thursday and Sunday riding in a vehicle and then camping out the rest of the time. Cheat days involve uncontrolled and unplanned eating for one day. In my experience, a 19 hour fast after cheat is the best, with diminishing returns at 20, but the results at 19 are better than 18 and especially 16....what I found was that if I fast for 19 hours after cheat day (saturday for me), by Monday I am back to pre-cheat weight. I imagine just swigging a bit o’ Mag-10 throughout the day would make you feel a bit better psychologically about any lbm loss that could potentially occur. But going overboard with a cheat meal/day during a long diet period is something that happens, even if you are mentally strong and not prone to cheating. It’s ok to … Skipping breakfast makes you fat. This is something I was thinking about. Oh ok, cool. I would think that cheating after a fasting day would be more beneficial personally. Your body is still full from eating so much food the day before and your hunger signals may be blunted. I am currently doing a weight/fat loss phase and I’m in my 6th and final week. What you eat and how you move has a direct impact on your mood, energy, and mindset, so get up and do something healthy. Yes. For instance if you are following the I,Bodybuilder routine and have a good workout Saturday morning and you have a scheduled cheat that day but goes a little overboard. That having been said if you can avoid that, short-term fasting is not that bad. Thinking it's all over after one cheat day is like thinking you can get washboard abs with one workout. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Eat all your calories for the day during a certain time frame, usually around six or eight hours (e.g., 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and then fast the rest of the time. M Most people find that they're able to have a few more of their favorite … “For body composition, a missed meal is as bad as a cheat meal. 5777 N Meeker Ave, Boise, ID 83713-1520 USA. This is Thib’s house and I’m not looking to run his show, particularly in an instance where we seem not to be in accord; so if you guys have other questions about this i’d love to either answer them on my blog or in another thread. I’ve been insanely strict following a ‘really bad’ binge day, usually just egg whites, broccoli etc. Water is essential for proper digestion, and no matter what you put in your body, you'll need water to help flush it out. Next week I will be starting the I-Bodybuilder program and looking to add some mass while trying to keep as much of my new found leanness as possible. How To Deal Getting Your Appetite Back. If you do it for 3-4 weeks and feel like you’re losing size, halt. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to beginning any diet or exercise program or taking any dietary supplement. As for training, I would perform a VERY intense UPPER BODY session the day after a huge cheat. So that got me to thinking about fasting on Sunday since most of the day will be spent packing up and driving home. You don't just look better when you eat healthy—you feel better, too. CT what is your take on this kind of dietary approach? This seems like a no-brainer, but it's surprisingly tricky to pull off when you're … Sleep It Off. The author said it was a good fat loss diet for him. So then on Sunday you fast with just liquids, mainly just water but maybe a little green tea and black coffee and … You may look bloated and big bellied for a day but most of it is water retention and stomach content. It doesn't stop progress but it does slow it down, in my experience. Eating a single, giant meal per day. I have read a little bit about it recently and just wanted to get your thoughts on it. Just curious about your thoughts on fasting the day after a cheat day if one goes a little overboard on their cheat day. The content on our website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional. I’ve been eating one meal a day(which is kinda split into pre and post workout (+ controlled veggie/protein)fasting for the rest of the day)) for a couple of months now and only thing I’ve noticed is increases in strength ( got the deadlift up to 420lb) and loss of body fat. One cheat day a week, then a 36-hour fast. It’s personally not the catabolism and muscle loss that’s I’m scared off, but rather the possible development of an eating disorder-type mentality of binging then starving. The effects of a cheat day go beyond the bloated, upset tummy and puffy, ill-defined abs. Basically, it said to eat nothing but low-fat protein all week, literally (with some shakes thrown into the mix, if I remember correctly). Method #3: Alternate-day fasting A more advanced approach to fasting involves not eating for 24-36 hours several times per week. The 36h fast would have been an excellent addition to my lifestyle had this problem not arisen - I have a rest day and days which I don't have any conditioning planned - and would have welcomed the break from food and chance to create a caloric deficit or perform form damage limitation after a sumptuous cheat day. This is obvious, but it must be said: Anyone attempting major … However, there was an article on here that discussed alternative diets, such as eating normal to large amounts of food, and then fasting one day a week i think. Just as a day off from the gym can give you the mental and physical break you need to regain your focus, a day off from your meal plan can be just what you need to appreciate how hard you've worked and why you make healthy choices in the first place. Eat steamed veggies and chicken or a light salad for dinner. Give your stomach a full five hours to empty before eating again. and Jeckyll&Hide in which you always reccomend eating many smaller meals. Sometimes having a cheat weekend and feeling the effects of all the salty, sugary, fatty foods is a great reminder for why you chose to eat healthier in the first place. You wont get fit in a day and you won't get “fat” in a day. I’ve bought your Get Jacked Fast! Bumping up a calorie burn – but don’t over-do-it! Whether it’s a 5/2 protocol (eat for five days, fast for two) a 16/8 (fast for 16 hours, eat for eight), or any other version of IF, most people on a fasting diet wind up losing weight. Because this will include things like pizza, burgers or whatever else…well, forgive me for getting overly scientific, but my tum tum hurts =(. I LOVE fasting after cheat day, and I have tested it, week on, week off, to see if it really helps and it definitely does. Just curious about your thoughts on fasting the day after a cheat day if one goes a little overboard on their cheat day. There was an article some months ago about the quickest way to lose weight within a week (while maintaining your muscle mass). Cheat days get into your head and make you feel like a failure, which in turn makes you question why you even bother trying. Whether or not you "believe" in cheat days, they happen now and then. Or something like that… In my opinion fasting is not a good option. Ultimately I’m left to wonder if it’s something that will vary in efficacy (and thereby recommendation) by population. Not to mention that it teaches HORRIBLE habits: If you have problems controling your cheat days and limiting what you indulge in, this is a borderline (or straight) bulemia. After water, think about what your body needs to reset healthfully. Use that energy to go for a jog, clean the house, or finish that work project you've been putting off. John, The most common method is to fast for 24 hours, eat normally for 24 hours, and then returning to another full-day fast. You CAN slow down your fat loss progress by cheating too much, but the best thing to do is still to get back on track as if nothing happened and take steps to avoid repeating that mistake. Eat until you’re full, but not stuffed. However IF I recall well, during the IBB developing process you mentioned on forums that at some point you were eating one meal a day + periworkout nutrition . Is this option still valid in light of your recent article on fasting following an all out cheat day… I am still planning on relaxing my diet a bit on Saturday but overdo it all day long. Physical effects of cheat days. According to the CYWT plan, low-carb days (as opposed to fast days) follow cheat days. This is definitely something that I would not fall into a pattern of. It’s personally not the catabolism and muscle loss that’s I’m scared off, but rather the possible development of an eating disorder-type mentality of binging then starving. If you’re trying to put on muscle weight, then I think fasting is your antichrist. It’s just good to see this kind of topics to actually share experiances with people about how they deal with these kind of situations. I originally started fasting after cheat days because I was trying to find a way to mitigate the digestive aftermath of eating crappy (no pun intended) foods. Getting enough sleep after an episode of overeating is a good way to fight off cravings … Fitness isn't built in a day, so why would it be undone in a day? If your whole identity revolves around whether you can stick to the plan, you beat yourself up 10 times worse than the next person when you go off track. I respect CT greatly as well as Tmuscle community - very informative! My carb-up/boost-the-leptin day is Spartan compared to most people’s. Fat fasting is claimed to help break weight loss plateaus or get back into ketosis after a cheat day. I don’t know about Canada, but here in NY, eating disorders haven’t been cool since 2006. In the meanwhile, it's slowly digesting. Just wondering if you’ve ever ate more food than the equivalent of 2.5 large pizzas… (sausage, pepperoni, ham, canadian bacon, and cheese.) You can try that if you’re feeling like your butt got too big from that binge-day. In fact, having a regularly scheduled cheat day each week can actually be good for weight loss by preventing binges, reducing cravings, providing a mental break from dieting, and boosting metabolism—if it’s done in a healthy way. In general, a bodybuilding diet requires you to eat small meals every three to four hours. But i’d really have to say that this could become a damaging pattern in the long run. © 2020 Bodybuilding.com. Feeling the massive sugar rush after tearing into that box of Girl Scout cookies? It takes 2 to 3 day for your food to go through your GI. In general would you say that a planned weekly fast gives a great risk of muscle loss or is would you recommend it as a good general strategy for fat loss? Like And Subscribe For More VideosBodybuidling Motivation For YOou !BODYBUILDING MOTIVATION - CHEAT DAY BABY !! If you're consistently good about what you eat, a single cheat day won't undo all your effort. "fasting" for a day won't catabolize your muscle unless you workout heavy that day. The first thing to do when you pull yourself out of a food tailspin is to drink water. What happens if you go bit overboard on saturday with yo cheat? I think it mainly depends on your goals. Cheat foods do more than fill up your belly—they mess up your mood, your energy levels, and your hormones. I am under impression that you want those radicals,bad fats or what ever you want to call it out as fast as possible, so slowing down your inner factory wouldn’t help a lot, but going totally clean with as little carbs as possible and 0 fats is what I have been practicing on those kinda situations. I’ll give it a go and report back (hopefully with pictures of super-abs) in 6 weeks. The effect of a cheat day is twofold: Your body feels icky because you just dumped a ton of empty calories into your system, and your mind is going haywire because, well, you just dumped a ton of empty calories into your system. So I won’t have access to a fridge, mixer, stove, etc. I don’t think fasting on sunday is a way to go. Intermittent Fasting, or IF, is centered around the idea of eating your daily requirement of food in a smaller time period. I definitely have no problems with binging. That's where cheat days come in. So the day after my huge binge, I decided to fast, only drinking tea and a protein shake for breakfast to fuel my workout that morning. Simply put, you don’t fix a mistake by making another one.”. I’ve not noticed muscle loss, and in only once case have I seen it be really inhibitive. Simply put, you don’t fix a mistake by making another one.”. I’ve not noticed muscle loss, and in only once case have I seen it be really inhibitive. Here's the bottom line: Cheat days happen, but that doesn't mean you have to give up on your progress. What about intermittent fasting/The Warrior Diet approach? You can’t get fat in one day… trust me I’ve tried! For instance if you are following the I,Bodybuilder routine and have a good workout Saturday morning and you have a scheduled cheat that day but goes a little overboard. In that case, I suspect that you’d not really be suited by using a diet that incorporated either cheating or fasting; although it is debatable of course. That having been said if you can avoid that, short-term fasting is not that bad.[/quote]. Doing something positive and productive will help your mind and body recover more quickly. After all, you deserve a break—a healthy one! The rest is fat + protein, even the morning. Thanks for all the replies everyone. ! On most cheat days, any type of food is allowed in unlimited quantities ( 4 ).